Mikia Kalati
LIOLI and Lesotho international, Tumelo Khutlang has finally broken his silence on his aborted move to South African National First Division side, Mthatha Bucks, saying he did not go for trials as widely reported.
The winger, who caught the eye of the Eastern Cape side while playing for Likuena at the regional COSAFA Cup in South Africa in June this year, this week told the Lesotho Times that contrary to media reports he did attend trials but had already agreed a two-year contract with the club and personal terms.
He said all was left was for him to put pen to paper when he joined the club for their pre-season.
“Mthatha Bucks showed interest in me at the COSAFA Cup and immediately contacted my (Likuena) coach Ntate (Moses) Maliehe who assisted them to meet with my club for talks,” Khutlang said.
“Bucks communicated with (Lioli president) Ntate Lebohang Thotanyana and they invited me to their (pre-season) camp in Durban and paid for my air tickets from Bloemfontein.
“I would not have agreed to trials because they said they were happy with what they saw and I also had other teams that were interested in my services,” the Likuena star stated.
“I went to them because I felt it would be a good platform for me to establish myself in South Africa given how much they wanted me.
He said everything initially went smoothly “and the coach also looked happy and gave me positive feedback”.
“However, after we returned to Eastern Cape, I then began to experience problems and they failed to provide meals as they had promised. A day later and they gave me M500 to buy food.
“That’s when I called the Lioli president to tell him Bucks were no longer taking care of me as promised and nothing had materialised regarding the contract they had promised.
“I also alerted Ntate Maliehe about how they treated me and he came to see when we were to start our camp in Bloemfontein.
“We then drove back to Lesotho and met Ntate Thotanyana who told me that Bucks had informed him that their coach said he had little time to work with me since the season was about to start.
“I was hurt by the whole situation because I had a lot of options before I went to them, but I felt they would be suitable for my growth.
“But I have made peace with it and that it was not my time to leave.”
He said he was weighing other options and if nothing materialised, he would remain with Lioli.
